If is often convenient, and certainly more sanitary, to have more than one cutting board in the kitchen. Yet, persons working in small kitchens, or those who need to conserve space in the kitchen, frequently are unable to accommodate more than one cutting board.
The present invention relates generally to a flexible yet durable cutting board adhered to a flexible magnet. The cutting board may be stored on any vertical surface to which a magnet is attracted. In addition, a plurality of cutting boards may be stacked on top of each other, to reduce clutter and conserve space.
Persons handling food frequently need to cut different types of food. Using different cutting boards for different foods will protect human health and increase food safety. The present invention allows the user to conveniently and compactly keep one or more cutting boards close at hand.
Efforts have been made to provide compact cutting boards, but have not provided for compact storage of the cutting boards. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,790 issued to Thompson on Dec. 5, 1995 discloses a single-layer, thin, flexible cutting board. However, this cutting board cannot be conveniently affixed to a vertical surface, and thereby stored. The single-layer cutting board may slip if a plurality of cutting boards are stored horizontally.
Another example, Pat. No. JP02002336143A, issued to Wakahoi on Nov. 26, 2002, discloses a cutting board that may be vertically stored. However, this invention requires a separate iron holder to which a small magnet in the cutting board is attracted.
Another patent, Pat. No. JP410094490A, issued to Yabusaki on Apr. 14, 1998, discloses a magnet placed between two larger layers so that a kitchen knife will be attracted to the magnet and will not slip. However, the additional bottom layer decreases the magnetic attraction on the bottom, and prevents vertical storage. Vertical storage is also hampered because the magnet is smaller than the bottom layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,363 B1, issued to Olsen et al, on Oct. 16, 2001, discloses two stacked magnets that are permanent affixed to each other, and may not be separated. In addition, the magnets are not flat, and could not be used as a cutting board.
None of the prior patents adequately allow for the convenient and compact storage of multiple cutting boards.